Yule Wishes Do Come True
by K8BNimble
Summary: Harry's back at Hogwarts and is currently single.  The Yule Ball may be the opportunity to change that. Harry/Severus/Draco.  Holiday Fluffiness.


**Title: **Yule Wishes Do Come True

**Rating: **R

**Word Count: **approx 6,450

**Pairings:** Harry/Severus/Draco

**Summary: **Harry's back at Hogwarts and is currently single. The Yule Ball may be the opportunity to change that.

**Warnings: **Reference to oral sex, fluffiness

**A/N: **Another gift fic for the holidays. The recipient wanted a Harry/Draco/Severus pairing filled with the warmth of the holidays and courting ending at Christmas/the solstice among other things. I got the holiday thing in there – the courting thing almost!

**Beta:** Thank you to my wonderful beta, lovetoseverus.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own or make money from Harry Potter, just like playing with the boys. It's owned by JK Rowling, Warner Brothers and a bunch of other folks who aren't me.

**HDSHDSHDSHDHSHDHS**

**Yule Wishes Do Come True **

The Great Hall was decked out in its wintry finest. Icicles dripped from the ceiling amongst a sky of glittering night stars which continued down the walls until it met a pure white floor. Fairy lights lit up the enormous dark green evergreen tree at the front of the room. The rest of the room was surrounded by smaller, dense trees, undecorated but for snow and ice. If the guests didn't know they were inside Hogwarts, most would have assumed they were lost in an enchanted forest at midnight. A full moon illuminated the scene in a silvery shimmer.

This was the first Yule Ball Harry Potter had attended since his fourth year, 14 years prior. It was his first as a member of the Hogwarts staff. The theme was "A Winter Wonderland" and it was unlike anything Harry had ever seen. Snow fell but dissolved before touching skin. Several bonfires were lit and students and staff alike could gather to make s'mores or roast chestnuts and drink hot chocolate. Faces near the flames were colored in warm reds and oranges. There was a small orchestra playing various traditional dances interspersed with holiday tunes. The students would no doubt prefer something more contemporary like the 'Prince Phibian and the Magical Toads' (the equivalent to the 'Weird Sisters' of his school days), but the current headmaster was not as indulgent as Dumbledore had been. If there was to be a Yule Ball, it would be on his terms, as was usual with Snape. _'Headmaster Snape,'_ a small voice inside his head reminded him. Harry had originally argued against it, wanting the kids to be kids. Now, seeing his students dressed up in their finest, though, he realized this would be one of the few opportunities for them to experience an elegant evening such as this. He thought everyone looked remarkably posh.

As a chaperone, he enjoyed watching the students dance. The evening was beginning to wind down and he'd managed to avoid the dance floor. He had good reason not to venture forth onto it. He well remembered his dancing debut and did not wish to repeat the experience. As graceful as he was on a broom or in a duel, he couldn't seem to translate it to the dance floor. Not that he'd had much need for it. Ginny had never been much for dancing and after their split several years before, he'd never found anyone else he cared to spend more than a couple of dates on and they had all been male. While homosexual couples were generally accepted in the wizarding world with little fuss, there was an unwritten rule that you did not flaunt it at public venues. So Harry stood watching the students for any signs of misbehavior, particularly as it was getting late. Other than some spiked punch which he cleaned up, and an unruly incident in which Violet Brown-Finnegan had her dress blown up violently by a wind charm cast by David Thomas, the evening had proceeded smoothly. He was amused as he watched the staff members begin to dance as the students left the hall for the evening. Hagrid still liked to partner with Madame Maxine, who was visiting for the holidays. Oliver Wood was dancing with his wife, Penelope. Watching them made him wish, though, that he had someone of his own that he would want to dance with. He'd been alone for quite some time and he was beginning to wonder if he'd ever find a new partner.

Harry had been surprised to see Headmaster Snape take the hand of Professor Sinistra for a spin. It was odd seeing a pleasant smile on Snape's face, even after all this time. As usual, the man dressed in all black, but instead of the usual white cuffs, he wore black silk. And instead of the usual woolen robes, his knee-length jacket was made of black jacquard with a pattern of ivy and snakes done in the same color. His long black hair was neatly tied back. The soft lighting of the room made his pale skin stand out. Harry almost spit out a sip of the punch he was drinking when he saw Snape's head roll back and laugh out loud. No one could hear his laughter over the music, but anyone watching would clearly see his amusement. It gave an unusually warm feeling in Harry's stomach to see the man happy. He'd thoroughly enjoy getting to know him the last few months. Seems not having Voldemort or the Death Eaters around had lightened everyone up. He was still not a man of mirth, but Harry had had some very congenial conversations with him over the last few months.

He turned back the table to refill his glass and the new Muggle studies teacher, Claude Hannigan, was standing there.

"Ah, Harry, enjoying yourself, are you?" the round, older man asked. He was generally a pleasant, but dull man. Harry liked him though. He seemed to actually know about Muggles and cared about teaching the students.

"Yes, Claude. It's been a very nice evening."

"Good, good. It's lovely to see the children all dressed up and having a good time, don't you think?" he asked with a smile.

"Yes, I do," Harry answered.

The man hesitated a moment and looked around before asking, "Planning to ask anyone to dance?"

Harry wondered at the odd tone in his voice and was about to answer when a deep, low, and easily recognizable voice came from behind him. "I believe it would be safest for everyone involved if Mr. Potter stayed a few meters clear of the dance floor, unless he has improved quite a bit since his last ball."

Harry blushed, but couldn't deny the truth of Snape's statement. Still, did he have to embarrass him?

"I'm sure he's not that bad, Headmaster!" Claude laughed as he still looked around. Harry wondered what he was looking for.

"Er...um…yeah no…sadly I really am," Harry admitted. He wasn't going to let Snape humiliate him. If he just admitted it, it would be a done deal.

Harry felt Snape's eyes on him. It was odd really how he physically could feel Snape staring at him. Ever since he first started at Hogwarts, he could feel when the man looked at him. Back then of course, Harry thought it was sheer hatred. Maybe it had been, but over the years their relationship had been tempered with respect and still a good bit of humor at Harry's expense, but it was vastly different. He glanced up expecting to see ridicule, but instead he found a slight smirk on the man's face tinged with warmth. Perhaps Snape had also had too much of the punch.

The orchestra began a Strauss waltz. Snape looked at Claude. "Professor Hannigan, I believe I saw Minerva by the Ice Fairy Sculpture. I happen to know she enjoys a good waltz. I promised to partner her tonight but unfortunately I need to take a break. Perhaps you could go in my stead?"

Claude's round cheeks turned red and he huffed a bit. "Well, of course sir! I'd hate to disappoint the lady." They watched as his slightly pudgy body hustled across the room as he smoothed down his thinning hair.

Harry saw Snape shake his head a bit. "Too tired, huh?" Harry asked him. "Sinistra must be a tough dance partner."

"You have no idea, Potter." Snape said looking out over the crowd. Harry turned and poured another glass of punch and handed the glass to him. Snape raised an eyebrow. "You must be thirsty after all that work," Harry said with a smile.

Snape nodded slightly. They stood side by side quietly for a few moments. Harry watched Claude and Minerva move onto the floor. Many of the dancers had left when it switched to a waltz. Certainly almost all of the remaining students did as many of them did not know how to dance properly in three quarter time.

Minerva and Claude moved rather gracefully. Snape hadn't been lying when he said Minerva enjoyed it. She was smiling at her partner as he spun her. Claude was an adept dancer. Harry felt slightly inadequate. "They dance together well," he said to Snape.

"Indeed they do. I wonder how long it will take them to figure out they fit together well in other ways?" Snape said it so quietly as to almost be silent, but to Harry it sounded like a yell. He was completely flabbergasted at the statement and stared at Snape.

"Are you…are you setting them up?" Harry asked, incredulously.

"I don't need to 'set' them up. They just need an opportunity to figure it out on their own."

"Wow. Headmaster Snape: matchmaker," Harry whistled in amusement and turned back to watch the floor. In the time he had been looking at the Headmaster, he hadn't noticed that a new couple had taken to the dance floor. He noticed them now. They were beautiful – individually and as a couple. One was tall, lithe, and luminous; the other was dark, voluptuous, and exotic. The man was pale with long blonde hair and elfin features. Features he knew well. He knew them in school as his rival, and then for the last few months, as one of his colleagues. Like Snape, Draco had changed drastically since the war. He was now friendly and approachable. He had been quite helpful to Harry when he first started teaching. Harry had never quite noticed before how gorgeous he had become as well.

The man wore a long, dark green velvet jacket that fit snugly to his slim waist and hips. His pants and boots were black. As he danced around, Harry noticed a black choker with an emerald pendant nestled in the hollow of his neck and a low cut silk silver shirt under the jacket. The woman appeared to be of Middle Eastern or Indian descent, with gorgeous café au latte skin. Her long, dark, wavy tresses draped over the open back of her sleeveless white satin gown. She had a beautiful diamond tiara in her hair and a delicate silver snake arm band that sparkled on her left arm. They moved together gracefully, in perfect rhythm.

"Stop gaping, Potter. You'll get drool marks on those very shiny shoes of yours." Snape's voice broke through the haze of Harry staring, particularly when he felt long fingers gently touch his chin to close his mouth. Harry looked at him, completely flushed. He felt like a country bumpkin.

It's understandable, Potter. She is quite fetching. And she's a Veela," Snape said.

"Huh?" Harry said, unintelligently.

"The girl. Her name is Romana Cheltasis. I could introduce you, if you are interested?"

"It's not her I'm looking at," Harry whispered without thinking. Suddenly his words caught up to his head and he realized what he had just admitted. He glanced at Snape and saw a look of disbelief on the usually stoic face. In humiliation, he began to babble. "Sorry, think I may have accidentally gotten some of the spiked punch," he said by way of lame excuse and made a quick escape.

**HDSHDSHDSHDSHDSHDS**

Harry prowled the hallways as an excuse to hide. He was mortified. It wasn't so much that Snape knew he was bent, but that he had been attracted to Draco! He was sure Snape would be delighted to tell Draco about it and then the two of them would laugh about "freakish Harry Potter." The only reason Snape might not tell him was Draco might tell _The Daily Prophet _ and then the public would know Harry Potter was a poofter! In general, wizarding society may not care about homosexuality, but, like werewolves, they sure didn't want them teaching their children. As if somehow all child molesters were gay men, when in fact most of them were heterosexual.

As he stormed along the hallways, his embarrassment turned to anger at himself. How could he let something like that slip to _Snape _of all people! Just because his own realization of his orientation began when fantasies of Cho Chang involuntarily morphed into more masculine hands with taller and leaner silhouettes. They also developed much larger honkers after a particularly invasive Occlumency lesson in sixth year, when Snape had witnessed his "wet kiss" with Cho in his memory. At the time, Snape remarked, "Looks like you need more training. I shall add an extra hour each week to ensure you do this right."

Harry realized later that Snape meant training in Occlumency, but the timing of the statement made Harry first think that Snape meant kissing lessons. Suddenly his imagination had Snape teaching him how to kiss. And it had sent a wonderfully thrilling sensation through him. From then on Cho was no longer Cho but someone more masculine. Being near Snape always threw him off. He recognized the crush for what it was back then and that images of Snape were just his subconscious trying to tell him he was looking for something different than Cho. He forced himself to get passed it.

He then took up with Ginny – certainly a more masculine woman than Cho, but that didn't quite cut it. Then he started noticing that Ginny morphed into the male features of Bill on occasion. On the rare times it morphed into Ron, Fred or George, it just killed the mood, as they were all too much like brothers to him. Bill didn't fit the brotherly category. He became safe fodder for his wank fantasies. But again, he knew that was what all those images were – both Snape and Bill. Just wank fodder. He had no real interest in relationships with them at the time but found it hard to imagine fake people he had never seen. But at least they let him realize he was gay.

He thought it odd in all those years in school, he never once thought of Draco that way. The last few months he had noted the man's good looks and found his eyes drawn to him on occasion, but he never read anything into it. It had just become habit, watching Draco Malfoy, just like when they were in school. He never thought he might find the man this attractive. But then again, tonight was the first time he'd seen him in anything but teacher's robes since graduation, and those surely did not show off the man's figure. He had grown up in the intervening years.

Draco disappeared after the war and Harry became an Auror. He'd heard about Draco returning to Hogwarts five years ago, but thought nothing of it other than, "Those poor kids!"

Harry himself had not been back until Snape hired him. He'd gotten tired of hunting criminals. Kingsley offered Harry a one year sabbatical to think about his future. Snape needed a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher since a badly cast spell from a seventh year sent the previous teacher to St. Mungos for a long stay. Not wanting to sit around doing nothing for twelve months, he thought it was a good opportunity to try on a new career.

Harry was so distracted by his musings he didn't notice that he had wandered as far as Green House Three until he began hearing noises that didn't belong there.

He put a silencing charm on himself and crept up to see who was out of bounds at this hour.

Seventh years Angus Mulcahey, Derek Bergen and Justin Flanders were whispering quite loudly as they stumbled around the darkened green house. Harry was about to interrupt when one of them yelled in pain.

"Get them off, get them off!" screamed a voice of what Harry thought was Derek.

"Lumos!" Harry lit the room up as he rushed in. There he found Derek had tripped over the latest batch of Fanged Geraniums and several of the plants were biting into his legs and arms. The other kids were making the mistake of trying to pull them off which just made the plants bite harder.

"Stop it!" Harry yelled at them. "Mulcahey, Brown, drop the plants, now! You're not helping." He rushed over and kneeled beside Derek. "Hang on, Derek."

One by one, Harry reached for two leaves of each Geranium and softly massaged them. A few strokes on the underside of their leaves and the Geraniums let go of their prey and fell asleep. It was pretty much the only way to get them to release their fangs. After each plant released Derek's leg, Harry staunched the bleeding with a simple "stasis" spell. It would hold the bleeding until he got him to Madame Pomfrey for proper healing. He was lucky that the plants were still rather young and their fangs were still short. A few months older and in the wrong location, those plants could kill. Harry wondered why Hogwarts kept such things around kids.

After finishing in the infirmary and sending Angus and Justin back to their rooms – looking forward to several detentions with Professor Sprout – he headed back towards the Great Hall which he had to cross to get to his rooms. The side trip had taken longer than he thought. His watch said it was now midnight and the Ball was officially over. Thankfully, as he was not one of the Heads of House, he didn't need to ensure all his students were tucked in.

As he came back into a side corridor off the Great Hall, he heard some muttering. Assuming it was more students, he again began quietly creeping up on them. He heard low whispering and the distinctive sounds of snogging.

"Are you sure," the first voice asked. It was man's voice, hushed, but with an aristocratic tone. He couldn't quite place it. The other person must have nodded as the man continued, "Oh, yes! Um, that feels good. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Harry's ears burned. He was about to interrupt when another voice startled him, "Yes. And I know you do, too."

That voice Harry knew. The deep melodious tones of Headmaster Snape reverberated through him. _Snape's gay!_ The thought of this sent a rush through him. His eyes widened as he dared to look around the corner to see who had been man enough to take on Snape.

He couldn't believe his eyes. Clenched in an embrace were the dark, towering figure of Snape and the almost luminous figure of Draco Malfoy. It was beautiful; it was gut-wrenching. The vision entranced him. He almost wanted to vomit. He froze trying to figure out how to quietly slip away.

"How long will you stand there and watch us, Mr. Potter?" Severus said as he pulled slightly away from Draco, their foreheads touching and turning out to where Harry had hidden.

Harry's stomach sank. Why on Earth could he not Apparate away? Right now, he hated the magical restriction on Apparating within Hogwarts. Gulping, he put on his bravest Gryffindor face and stepped out from behind the statue he had taken shelter behind.

"Er…sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. I, uh…" Harry stood blathering on as he realized that neither of the men had jumped away from each other as if they were embarrassed. In fact, Harry seemed to be the only one the least bit discomfited.

"Not to worry, Potter. I'm used to you watching me anyways," Draco said with a smug smile on his face.

Harry blanched. What had Snape told him? He was beginning to get angry but he was at a loss for words. How dare Snape do that? He thought they had finally gotten some accord between them. He should have known this would be exactly what the git would do.

"Usually because you were going to do something illegal like, oh I don't know, let Death Eaters into Hogwarts."

Snape raised an eyebrow at the tone in Harry's voice. Neither man said anything for a second.

Harry couldn't stand the tension. "Right, then. I'll just leave you two...to doing whatever it was you were doing." He turned to go.

"Wait, Harry," Draco said in an oddly pleading voice. He had stepped over and pulled on Harry's arm. Harry turned to him. The man was beautiful, but Harry was feeling rather annoyed and humiliated.

"I didn't mean anything. I meant, I knew you watched me because I've been watching you." Draco started rubbing his hand up and down Harry's arm. "I mean, you've become a very handsome man, Harry Potter."

Harry looked to Draco quizzically and then back at Snape who was now leaning against the wall with his arms loosely crossed. His face was unreadable.

Harry looked back at Draco and yanked his arm away. "Is this a joke? You were just snogging Snape, now you're coming onto me?" He turned to the headmaster. "And you..you think it's alright for the headmaster to be fooling around with the staff?" Harry knew his career at Hogwarts was likely to be short-lived, but he didn't need to work here just to be played with.

"Do you believe you can tell me who I am allowed to have relations with?" Snape asked with a smirk.

"You admit it? You and Draco are having an affair? That this isn't just some random thing?"

"I admit nothing, Potter."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Don't let him get to you. He is playing. Snape and I have been engaged for two years, Harry. All with the blessing of the School Governors."

That idea struck Harry dumb. "But, I thought gays weren't allowed to…"

"Legally, if we are bonded, they cannot fire us. Even a formal engagement such as ours, they cannot reprimand us since I formally courted Draco, albeit privately two years ago. There was a small announcement in the paper which fulfilled our legal notifications to the public."

"In _The Daily Prophet_?" Harry asked, suddenly curious, even if still slightly disappointed.

"I never said it was in the _Prophet_. Wizarding Law, in their arrogance, forgot to specify it had to be a wizarding paper. Just a paper of at least one of the partners' town of residence. I put the notice in the _Weekly Times of Manchester_ since that is where Spinner's End is." Snape had walked over to join Draco and Harry.

"Oh," Harry said. "Well, I guess congratulations are in order, then." He tried to put on a brave face but ended up only smiling half-heartedly.

"Not just yet. We've been engaged for two years. Don't you wonder why we haven't completed the bonding ceremony yet?"

"Can't say I thought about it," Harry answered. And really, why would he care. All he knew was the only two gay men he currently knew, and found attractive, were taken by each other – which left him alone, again.

"We haven't done it because of you," Draco said as he reached out and took one of Harry's hands. Harry was staring where Draco's hand touched his. He then felt Severus take his other hand. He looked over at those long fingers entwining with his. He was at a loss.

"Uh…me?"

"Another thing most wizards have forgotten is that Triads are legally permissible. That in itself allows for homosexuality since there are only two sexes. It hasn't been conducted for over a hundred years, but there is a precedent of three men legally bonding," Snape explained.

"But all three have to be present at the original bonding. If Snape and I had bonded, we could never allow a third party into the bond, legally," Draco added.

"Okay – and what does that have to do with me?" Harry cringed even as he said it. He wasn't an idiot, but he had to hear it.

He wasn't expecting Draco to smack him upside the head, "Duh, we want you as our third mate!"

"Well, it isn't as if we wanted him for his brains," Snape said.

Harry glared at him. "I mean. Yes, I guessed that. But you haven't even so much as whispered a hint of this before now."

Just then, McGonagall could be heard talking to Filch as the Great Hall was being cleaned.

"Perhaps you'd like to join us for a drink in my rooms so we can explain further," Snape said. Unexpectedly, he took the hand he was holding and gave it a soft kiss. That, if nothing else, proved to Harry they weren't pulling an elaborate prank. He was certain that Snape would never do something so intimate as part of a joke.

Draco sidled up beside him. "Please, Harry." The warmth of Draco standing next him felt lovely. He had never stood that close to him before. He could smell a warm pleasant fragrance emanating from him. He looked Draco in the face and saw a genuine smile. It was soft, pleading and almost heartbreaking. Harry wanted to trust that as he never wanted to trust anything before. He decided to rely on his usual dumb luck to see him through and nodded to go with them.

**HDSHDSHDSHDSHDSHDS**

Harry nervously eyed the door as Snape opened it. Snape waved his wand and the flames roared to life in the fireplace on the right side of the room. Whatever Harry thought he was expecting as the headmaster's private quarters, this was not it.

Not only was it beautifully appointed and luxurious, it was decked out in holiday finery. There was a large evergreen wreath above the fireplace with a thin silver ribbon draping across it. The mantel was lined in more greenery. Next to it, several feet away, a large Christmas tree was elegantly decorated in silver and gold trimming. Harry could see the fireplace reflected in the delicate ornaments that filled the tree. The room itself was cozy with a several plush chairs and a sofa near the hearth.

"Stop gaping, Harry. Were you expecting a dungeon?" Snape asked as he motioned Harry in.

"Would you blame me?" Harry asked.

Draco walked in behind them and removed his long green jacket and hung it up on a coat rack near the door. That left him in just an open collared silver shirt and trousers. The black choker hung temptingly in the hollow of his collar bones. He held a hand out to Harry indicating he'd take his jacket as well. That simple gesture floored Harry. Since when did Draco Malfoy act like a house elf? Perhaps that thought was extreme.

"Don't let him kid you, Harry," Draco said with a smile. "When I first came here, his rooms were completely black and white, and not in a stylish, modern décor way."

"You did like my zebra rug, though," Snape said. Draco showed his evident disagreement by making a gagging sound.

Harry stood looking around the room. His entire perspective on both of these men had shifted in an almost seismic way. He was trying to keep up with his own shifting perspective.

Snape stepped over towards a small bar near the fireplace. He set his wand down on the bar and clapped his hands. Several other small lamps around the room lit up.

"I didn't know that you could do wandless magic," Harry said in a slight bit of awe.

Draco laughed. "It's not magic. It's _The Clapper_. He's obsessed with it. I bought it as a joke from some Muggle shop last year. I never thought it would actually work."

That was the last straw. Harry looked at Severus trying to piece together the very incongruous picture that was forming and suddenly burst into laughter. Draco laughed with him. Harry collapsed onto the couch, unable to control his laughter. Tears were rolling down his face. Draco fell in next to him.

Severus smirked as he poured several glasses. He walked over and handed a glass to each of them. A snifter of brandy to Draco and a rum and coke for Harry. He himself had a tumbler of whiskey.

"How did you know what I drank?" Harry said.

"As Draco may have mentioned, we've been keeping an eye on you."

"You realize when you say that, it sounds kind of creepy, right?" Harry asked, amused.

Severus sat down on the other side of Harry and took a small drink from his glass. "I don't mean to make you uncomfortable." Severus paused. "Well, actually I do, but I hope in a good way." Harry felt a hand on his other side begin stroking his thigh and the tension in the room shot up. Harry knocked back his drink even as he ignored the warning bell from his years as an Auror, reminding him there could be something in it.

"Harry, I've fantasized about you since we were in school," Draco whispered into his ear. "All that teasing, all that fighting, did you never understand that?" The man's fingers were strumming little circles on his thigh and working their way up and in.

Harry turned a little towards Draco. He could see the fine white baby hair of his cheek illuminated by the firelight, giving him an almost ethereal appearance. "Uh…I uh, can't say I did. I kind of had other things on my mind."

"I was so happy when Severus mentioned your little faux pas tonight. I thought this might be our chance." Draco licked a little swipe along Harry's earlobe.

Harry also felt the heat of the taller man on his other side. Severus was not yet touching him, but sat so close, it felt as if his nerves were reaching out to touch him. Harry felt electrified.

Harry turned a little towards Severus. "And, uh, you, sir?" he whispered breathlessly.

Severus sat his glass down and reached up to stroke Harry's sensitive jaw line. He turned his face towards him. Draco began softly kissing the back of Harry's neck.

"You have become an incomparably beautiful man, Harry Potter. And you don't need to call me sir." Severus smiled slightly at the reminder of Harry's sixth year.

Harry searched Severus' eyes. He expected to feel the push of Legilimency at any moment, but he didn't. It did remind him, though, that this man already knew him more intimately than most others. And he still claimed to want him. That was somewhat overwhelming.

"I can understand, though, if you have no interest in me. I would not hold it against you. I understand I am no one's idea of a knight in shining armor," Severus admitted, giving Harry a way out.

Suddenly that sixth year memory also reminded him that this was the Half-Blood Prince in front of him. The one he obsessed about for so long back then. Draco began licking delicately along the bottom of his neckline, an erogenous zone for Harry. So few had ever found that spot before. A shiver went through him as his eyes dilated and he whispered, "You may not be a knight, but you are a prince," Harry said, hoping he didn't get laughed out of the room for the sheer cheesiness of the sentence. Romantic proclamations were not his strong suit, as Ginny had informed him frequently. Instead he pushed all his Gryffindor bravado to the front and said, "Kiss me."

Severus gazed at him intently and then Harry closed his eyes. He felt the man invade his space, the scent of patchouli mixed with the musk from Draco, creating an intoxicating scent. Firm lips pressed against his and he willingly opened up to the searching tongue. He began leaning back into Draco as if he couldn't sit up anymore. Draco shifted a bit to the side to allow Harry's body into the crook of his arm. Severus tasted of whisky and heat. He began to pull away and Harry's lips sought to follow until Draco pulled him back to take his place. Draco's kiss was more delicate, more tender; it was like a refreshing breeze after a hot storm had passed through.

Draco pulled away a little as he shifted back, allowing Harry more space to recline. Harry turned a bit as he felt Severus' hand stroking the inside of his left thigh. Involuntarily, his legs spread to allow more access. Severus lifted one gently and placed it on the couch behind him and inched himself forward. Harry's right leg was still in the same place on the floor, even if slightly less bent.

"I may learn to finally appreciate Quidditch if it's responsible for your flexibility," Severus said with a hint of a smirk.

Harry looked up as Draco moved to make further adjustments. He smiled at Severus mischievously. "It's been known to come in handy," he laughed.

Draco scoffed. "Are you telling me, Mr. Potter, that you are not a blushing virgin?" He acted shocked.

Harry laughed. "Hardly!"

"Well, in that case, we will be unable to bond with you," Severus said, suddenly serious. "Wizarding law requires purity of body for bonding."

Harry stared wide-eyed at them. "What? That's ridiculous!" He felt his stomach plummet.

"Doesn't mean we can't still have a good time," Severus added.

Harry furrowed his eyebrows. "Is that all I am? A good time?" He was furiously considering whether it mattered, but knew in his soul he would be sadly disappointed if it was true.

Draco started laughing. Harry looked up at him, about to lash out in anger, but Draco spoke up. "Severus, you're a cruel man!" He smiled at Harry. "You really are so gullible, Harry. That's one of the things we both love about you. He's conning you. There's no such law." He bent and kissed Harry lightly on the lips. In a whispered hush he said, "Are you sure you even want to contemplate spending a lifetime with Severus? I mean, we could just run off together and leave the snarky bastard behind." Draco looked up at Severus and winked.

"I think not. I've trapped both of you in my rooms. You're not going anywhere! In fact, I believe I shall have to make you my love slaves," Severus answered very sternly.

"What makes you think you're topping, Severus?" Harry asked.

"Well," he purred, moving to lie on top of Harry. "I am topping you, right now." He kissed Harry on his collar bones and then let his weight drop on top of him. They were now prone on the couch with Draco sitting beside them. He reached behind Harry and stroked his back, and then moved his hands to his ass. "And if you think I'm passing up any opportunity to get between these," he said, squeezing tightly, "you are deeply mistaken." Harry squirmed at the sensation. He was quickly getting hard. Severus began light kisses straight down his chest, over his shirt, until he reached Harry's groin.

"But I think we won't let this lovely piece go to waste either," he murmured, kissing Harry's groin lightly. "Draco loves sucking cock."

"Ohh…" Harry moaned at the thought.

Draco reached over and smacked Severus' head. "I also love smacking your ass!"

"You wish," Severus responded. He looked up at Harry with a smoldering gaze but then lifted himself up. "However, perhaps we are moving a bit too fast for you?" he asked.

"Fast is good," Harry said, sitting up and trying to pull Severus back down.

"Slow is better. Languid, slow, lovemaking that lasts all night long," Severus countered.

"That works, too!" Harry said eagerly. He didn't care anymore. It had been too long.

Draco pushed Harry back up a little bit, in a slightly reclined position. "Severus is right, Harry. You shouldn't make a decision in the heat of the moment. We've had several months to get to know you as a man and talk to each other about wanting more, but this is new for you. As much as I," Severus glared at Draco, "I mean, _we_ want you, we don't want to rush."

Harry stared at them incredulously. He knew they were right of course, but he had a raging hard-on that wanted something.

Severus reached back to the table and picked up his glass. "Maybe this would help?"

Harry grabbed it from him and knocked back the rest of Severus' whiskey. Draco had slid to the floor on one knee and tilted his head towards Severus who did the same. They each took one of Harry's hands.

Draco coughed. "Harry James Potter. Would you do the honor of allowing me, Draco Malfoy and Severus Tobias Snape, to formally court you over the next twelve months?"

Harry had read about the formal courtships in the Wizarding world, but he'd never actually heard of one. He wasn't quite sure what it entailed.

"Er…does that mean we can't shag until then?" he asked.

The men laughed lightly. "No, we can do that whenever we're ready," Severus answered.

Draco jumped in, "It only means that at the end of the formal courting period, you would have to formally accept us to bond or to continue courting you or formally refuse us. We have twelve months to convince you. You are not permitted to date anyone else during that period, however. I just want to clarify that."

"I haven't dated anyone in 24 months, so I don't think that would be an issue," he answered honestly.

"So, what's your answer?" Draco asked.

"Yes, my knees can't stay like this for long," Severus added. Harry looked at him, smirking at the innuendo. Severus smiled back. "That is why I prefer couches and beds for my fellatio activities."

Harry burst into laughter. "I have to admit, you two seem very different than when I last knew you. I never knew you could act so sweet, Draco, or that you could joke around, Sna…Severus. Guess I'll have to get used to calling you by your first name."

"The answer's yes, then?" Draco asked, hope in his voice.

Although this sudden turn of events had thrown him, Harry was good at adapting and decided that while he might still lose, he could possibly gain the very thing he'd been looking for: a home and someone to share it with. Or in this case, two someones.

"Yes," Harry answered, feeling oddly sure of this decision.

He was also still feeling tremendously turned on. He looked down at his tented trousers. In for a knut, in for a galleon. "Any chance we could, you know, try out some of those fellatio activities tonight?" Harry joked nervously.

Both Severus and Draco laughed. Severus stood up and held out his hand to Harry. "Well then, I think we need to move to more comfortable surroundings."

He happily took both Severus' and Draco's hands and followed them to their bedroom. This was the first holiday he could remember that he got exactly what he'd always wanted.

15


End file.
